Flashlights, including searchlights, lanterns, and other portable lighting devices, are well known in the art. Typically, such devices are battery-powered lamps often having a reflector to emit light in a particular direction or directions.
A common use for flashlights is in police-work. Whether identifying persons or objects in low light conditions, the flashlight is so utilitarian that it has become standard issue for most police officers. A typical flashlight used in police-work is the Maglite® flashlight, though any type of flashlight, searchlight, lantern, or the like is contemplated to be within the scope herein and will be collectively referred to as “flashlight.”
One use of the flashlight for police-work is lighting potential evidence at a crime scene at night or in otherwise low light conditions. And as is often standard procedure, such potential evidence is photographed at the scene. Flashlights used by officers, detectives, and/or crime-scene investigators tend to be powerful and use a conventional lens known to those skilled in the art. As a result, the light emitted from the flashlight is often bright and uneven. And, though the power of the flashlight is very useful to illuminate persons and objects in low light conditions for identification purposes, the unevenness in light distribution tends to make it ill-suited to illuminate objects that are going to be photographed. This is particularly the case with digital cameras, which are becoming a more important tool for detectives. The bright, uneven beam makes it very difficult to photograph an object with any level of detail, because of high contrast or glaring that can occur. Relevant detail might become lost or otherwise virtually unreadable to a camera.
It is known by those skilled in the art, however, that lights which produce a more diffused beam of light can suit such photography needs much better. Light, particularly bright light, can be softened when it passes through a lens, particularly a textured, or otherwise filtered lens that diffuses the light to reduce glare and sharp contrasts on an object.
With flashlights being so utilitarian in police-work, however, often working fine for most applications, there may be resistance giving up the power provided by presently constructed flashlights in favor of a more diffuse-even beam just to take photographs. This is especially the case since lighting objects for taking photographs is only one of the several uses of the flashlight. Furthermore, other attachments or devices exist for flashlights that use colored lens for signaling, directing traffic, or night viewing, etc. The devices, however, do not solve the problem assisting in crime scene photography, or the like.
It would, thus, be beneficial to provide an adapter that can be easily attached to a conventional flashlight and produce the desired diffused light beam when low-level light conditions exist, and then be removed so the flashlight can be used for other tasks or receive other attachments.
Accordingly, the following disclosure provides, in various illustrative embodiments, a flashlight having a body, a light source located adjacent one end of the body, and a lens attached to the body through which light from the light source is emitted. The flashlight also has an adapter. The adapter comprises a cap and a second lens. The cap is selectively attachable to and removable from the flashlight's body. The cap is also located adjacent to the lens. The second lens is affixed to the cap and is located adjacent and substantially parallel to the lens attached to the body. The light from the light source is emitted through the second lens. In addition, the second lens is a light diffusing lens.
In the above-described and other embodiments, the flashlight may comprise: an end cap that is attachable to the body of the flashlight, wherein a lens is attached to the end cap and wherein a cap of the adapter is selectively attachable to and removable from the end cap; a cap of the adapter comprising a friction member to selectively attach and remove the cap from the flashlight's body; a cap comprising a bias member to selectively attach and remove the cap from the flashlight's body; a cap comprising a means to selectively attach and remove the same from the flashlight's body; a second lens having a prismatic surface; and a second lens being a disc having a surface suitable for diffusing light.
Another illustrative embodiment provides a flashlight adapter which comprises a cap and a light diffusing lens. The cap is selectively attachable to and removable from a flashlight. The light diffusing lens is affixed to the cap and is located adjacent the flashlight's light source and lens. The light from the light source is emitted through the light diffusing lens to clarify an illuminated object.
In the above-described and other embodiments, the flashlight adapter may comprise: a light diffusing lens being a disc and having a surface suitable for diffusing light; a cap comprising bias members to selectively attach and remove the cap from the flashlight; a light diffusing lens covering a flashlight lens which is attached to the flashlight; a diffusing lens having a textured surface; a cap comprising a pad that removably secures the cap to the flashlight; and the light diffusing lens having a prismatic surface.
Another illustrative embodiment provides a flashlight having a body, a reflector located adjacent one end of the body, a light source adjacent the reflector, a lens attached to the body and through which light from the light source is emitted, and an adapter. The adapter comprises a means for selectively attaching and removing the adapter from the flashlight. The adapter also comprises a means for diffusing light emitted from the flashlight to clarify an illuminated object. In addition, the means for diffusing light is attached to the means for selectively attaching and removing the adapter from the flashlight. The flashlight adapter may also comprise a means for selectively attaching and removing the adapter from the flashlight which comprises an attaching means to secure the adapter to the flashlight.
Additional features and advantages of the adapter will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the adapter as presently perceived.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the adapter, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the adapter, in any manner.